Keyboard shortcuts in Excel 2010

This article describes what Key Tips are and how you can use them to access the ribbon. It also lists CTRL combination shortcut keys, function keys, and some other common shortcut keys for Microsoft Excel.

Note If you are using Microsoft Excel Starter 2010, be aware that not all the features listed for Excel are supported in Excel Starter 2010.

In this article

Keyboard access to the ribbon

If you're new to the ribbon, the information in this section can help you understand the ribbon's keyboard shortcut model. The ribbon comes with new shortcuts, called Key Tips. To make the Key Tips appear, press ALT.

To display a tab on the ribbon, press the key for the tab—for example, press the letter N for the Insert tab or M for the Formulas tab. This makes all the Key Tip badges for that tab's buttons appear. Then, press the key for the button you want.

Will my old shortcuts still work?

Keyboard shortcuts that begin with CTRL will still work in Excel 2010. For example, CTRL+C still copies to the clipboard, and CTRL+V still pastes from the clipboard.

Most of the old ALT+ menu shortcuts still work, too. However, you need to know the full shortcut from memory — there are no screen reminders of what letters to press. For example, try pressing ALT, and then press one of the old menu keys E (Edit), V (View), I (Insert), and so on. A box pops up saying you're using an access key from an earlier version of Microsoft Office. If you know the entire key sequence, go ahead and initiate the command. If you don't know the sequence, press ESC and use Key Tip badges instead.

Edits the active cell and positions the insertion point at the end of the cell contents. It also moves the insertion point into the Formula Bar when editing in a cell is turned off.

SHIFT+F2 adds or edits a cell comment.

CTRL+F2 displays the print preview area on the Print tab in the Backstage view.

F3

Displays the Paste Name dialog box. Available only if there are existing names in the workbook.

SHIFT+F3 displays the Insert Function dialog box.

F4

Repeats the last command or action, if possible.

When a cell reference or range is selected in a formula, F4 cycles through all the various combinations of absolute and relative references.

CTRL+F4 closes the selected workbook window.

ALT+F4 closes Excel.

F5

Displays the Go To dialog box.

CTRL+F5 restores the window size of the selected workbook window.

F6

Switches between the worksheet, ribbon, task pane, and Zoom controls. In a worksheet that has been split (View menu, Manage This Window, Freeze Panes, Split Window command), F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the ribbon area.

CTRL+ARROW KEY moves to the edge of the current data region in a worksheet.

SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells by one cell.

CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, or if the next cell is blank, extends the selection to the next nonblank cell.

LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW selects the tab to the left or right when the ribbon is selected. When a submenu is open or selected, these arrow keys switch between the main menu and the submenu. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate the tab buttons.

DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW selects the next or previous command when a menu or submenu is open. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate up or down the tab group.

In a dialog box, arrow keys move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options.

DOWN ARROW or ALT+DOWN ARROW opens a selected drop-down list.

BACKSPACE

Deletes one character to the left in the Formula Bar.

Also clears the content of the active cell.

In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the left of the insertion point.

DELETE

Removes the cell contents (data and formulas) from selected cells without affecting cell formats or comments.

In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the right of the insertion point.

END

END turns End mode on. In End mode, you can then press an arrow key to move to the next nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell. If the cells are blank, pressing END followed by an arrow key moves to the last cell in the row or column.

END also selects the last command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible.

CTRL+END moves to the last cell on a worksheet, to the lowest used row of the rightmost used column. If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+END moves the cursor to the end of the text.

CTRL+SHIFT+END extends the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner). If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+SHIFT+END selects all text in the formula bar from the cursor position to the end—this does not affect the height of the formula bar.

ENTER

Completes a cell entry from the cell or the Formula Bar, and selects the cell below (by default).

In a data form, it moves to the first field in the next record.

Opens a selected menu (press F10 to activate the menu bar) or performs the action for a selected command.

In a dialog box, it performs the action for the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline, often the OK button).

ALT+ENTER starts a new line in the same cell.

CTRL+ENTER fills the selected cell range with the current entry.

SHIFT+ENTER completes a cell entry and selects the cell above.

ESC

Cancels an entry in the cell or Formula Bar.

Closes an open menu or submenu, dialog box, or message window.

It also closes full screen mode when this mode has been applied, and returns to normal screen mode to display the ribbon and status bar again.

HOME

Moves to the beginning of a row in a worksheet.

Moves to the cell in the upper-left corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on.

Selects the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible.

CTRL+HOME moves to the beginning of a worksheet.

CTRL+SHIFT+HOME extends the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.

PAGE DOWN

Moves one screen down in a worksheet.

ALT+PAGE DOWN moves one screen to the right in a worksheet.

CTRL+PAGE DOWN moves to the next sheet in a workbook.

CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN selects the current and next sheet in a workbook.

PAGE UP

Moves one screen up in a worksheet.

ALT+PAGE UP moves one screen to the left in a worksheet.

CTRL+PAGE UP moves to the previous sheet in a workbook.

CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP selects the current and previous sheet in a workbook.

SPACEBAR

In a dialog box, performs the action for the selected button, or selects or clears a check box.

CTRL+SPACEBAR selects an entire column in a worksheet.

SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects an entire row in a worksheet.

CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects the entire worksheet.

If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR a second time selects the current region and its summary rows. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR a third time selects the entire worksheet.

When an object is selected, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects all objects on a worksheet.

ALT+SPACEBAR displays the Control menu for the Excel window.

TAB

Moves one cell to the right in a worksheet.

Moves between unlocked cells in a protected worksheet.

Moves to the next option or option group in a dialog box.

SHIFT+TAB moves to the previous cell in a worksheet or the previous option in a dialog box.